Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from all of Imagine!’s SmartHome residents and staff members!

Happy Birthday, Loren!

Wishing the happiest of birthdays to Charles Family SmartHome resident Loren. Make it a great one, Loren!

Check Out The Latest SmartHomes Newsletter

Imagine!’s latest SmartHomes newsletter is available online.

Check it out here. 

Flood Damage Update – Financial Impact And Efforts

We’ve shared photos of the repairs on the flood damaged Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome, but today we thought we give you an update on how we’re dealing with the financial impact we incurred during the floods. Imagine! is pleased that all of its homes that were damaged in the flood have now been repaired, and all live-in staff who were displaced have now moved back into their residential settings. Grants have thus far brought in $26,000, insurance provided $30,000, and our online crowdfunding campaign raised $35,237. We have some additional grant requests that have been submitted, we completed an application for FEMA, and we have applied for a Small Business Administration loan. But, at present, Imagine! is still facing a shortfall of approximately $130,000. This shortfall will most likely translate into belt tightening in all departments. If you haven’t had a chance to help as yet, please consider a gift to: Imagine! Foundation, 1400 Dixon Avenue, Lafayette, CO 80026 or the online on our website at www.imaginecolorado.org. Thank you!

New Decorations Make The Holidays Bright

You probably know by now that the basement of the Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome basement was under four feet of water during the historic flooding that took place in Boulder County this fall. Among the many items that were destroyed were the home’s holiday decorations. Thankfully, a donation from the ARC of Colorado allowed the residents to have some new decorations and the house is bright again, just in time for the holiday. Thanks so much!

Technology Tuesday

A group of University of Colorado Engineering students in a 2013 Fall Semester class taught by Associate Professor Melinda Piket-May worked on projects to design simple adaptive technologies that aid increased independence for some of the individuals Imagine! serves. Here are two short videos of students explaining their projects. Both of these projects are designed to help improve fine motor skills and spatial recognition.

3-D Hand Operated Maze
 
Can’t see the video? Click here.

Interactive Activity Board
 
Can’t see the video? Click here. 

SmartHomes In The News

There was a great article and video from this weekend’s Daily Camera about The Coleman Institute for Cognitive Technologies, featuring some of the work being done at the Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome. We are so fortunate to have the Coleman Institute, Dr. David Braddock, and students like Jeff Hoehl in our backyard. They keep us focused on the future of our work. Check out the article here.